Eaton family

This article is about a Canadian retailing family. For other meanings see Eaton.

For other persons with the surname Eaton, see Eaton (surname).

The Eaton family of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, were owners of the Eaton's department stores, a national chain that was founded in 1869, and became bankrupt in 1999. At the family's height, their net worth was around $2 billion. Today, after the store's demise, "The Boys"—John, Fred, Thor and George—are collectively worth around $450 million.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and author Rod McQueen has dubbed them as "Canada's royal family", with the CBC describing the Eatons as "homegrown aristocracy" which drew comparisons to the influential Kennedy family. The Eatons were well known for their lavish lifestyle and generous philanthropy. Today, they and their wives and children continue to hold prominent positions in Toronto's society circles.

• Timothy Eaton (1834 – January 31, 1907), who immigrated to Canada from Ballymena, Ireland, founded the store.
  • Sir John Craig Eaton (28 April 1876 – 30 March 1922), Timothy's youngest son, took over after his father died.
    • Flora McCrea Eaton, Lady Eaton (1880–1970), Sir John's wife, was a national icon.
      • John David Eaton (4 October 1909 – 4 August 1973), Sir John and Lady Flora Eaton's son, took over the company when he turned 33.
        • Signy Hildur Stefansson Eaton (1913–1992), wife of John David.
          • John Craig Eaton (1937-), John David and Signy's eldest son.
          • Fredrik Stefan Eaton (1938-), John David and Signy's second son, president of the company from 1977–1988, High Commissioner to Britain from 1988–1994.
            • son Fredrik D'Arcy Eaton
            • daughter Flora Catherine Eaton Coakley
      • Timothy Craig Eaton (1903–1986), son of Sir John and Flora; never entered the family business
        • Thor Edgar Eaton (1943-), Third son of John David and Signy, horse-breeder.
        • George Ross Eaton (November 12, 1945-), Youngest son of John David and Signy, president of the company from 1988–1997.
          • Nicole Courtois Eaton, wife of Thor, socialite, author, Canadian Senator.

• Nancy Eaton (May 28, 1961 – January 21, 1985), great-great-granddaughter of Timothy, murdered in 1985.
• Edward Eaton and Nancy Leigh Gossage Eaton - parents of Nancy Eaton
• Robert Young Eaton (1875–1956), Timothy's nephew, took over the company on the death of Sir John.
  • Hazel Eaton (nee Ireland) - wife of RY Eaton
    • John Wallace Eaton (1912–1990) also worked at Eaton's and ran the Montreal store
    • Erskine Robert Eaton (1915–1942) died in World War II in Dieppe Raid

• John Eaton - brother of Timothy and father of RY Eaton
• Margaret Eaton (nee Herbison) wife of John Eaton and mother of RY Eaton
• John Eaton Sr (1784–1834) - grandfather of Timothy and John
• Billy Bishop (8 February 1894 – 11 September 1956), First World War flying ace, married a granddaughter of Timothy, Margaret Burden.